


Right

by imjusttheoutgoingsidekick



Series: Modern Newsies Au [5]
Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: ... It's later now, ALSO THIS IS IMPORTANT, Angst, Fluff, Here goes, I have to fucking upload it AGAIN, I'll update these tags later I just don't have the energy right now, I've already written this, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, So if any of these tags are triggeres please don't read chapter 6, Use of the f slur, WHY IS THAT NOT A TAG??, and now, and once types, but it's okay because I love this ship, but there is violence, children getting kicked out of houses, coming out more like getting outed, its bit nesicarily Graphic Violence, light homophobia, once on paper, shit goes DOWN in chapter 6, there is a plot summary for chapter 6 at the end of work notes, twice, until chapter 6
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-18
Updated: 2018-04-20
Packaged: 2019-04-24 17:35:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14360274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imjusttheoutgoingsidekick/pseuds/imjusttheoutgoingsidekick
Summary: The rain felt nice. Not too cold, but not exactly warm either. It was, to put it in simple terms, right. It wasn't perfect, not by any means, for nothing ever really is perfect. Or maybe things are, because who are we to define what is and isn't perfect? But one thing is for sure and that is that things can be right. What they had, was right.AKA; The Newsies Highschool Au I Wrote Entirely On Paper While Grounded





	1. In Which Spot Conlon Hates Mondays And Everything They Stand For

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy, I'm really proud of this story
> 
> [Timestamp; the bois are juniors in High School, it it around mid May/end of May/early June. They are 17. Race's sisters are as follows: Giovanna: 14. Bianca: 9. Liliana: 6. Maria: 4.]

It was a Monday. Of-freaking-course it was a Monday. Looking back on it, he should have known something would go wrong. The morning was going perfect, Spot woke up, took a shower, ate breakfast and still had enough time to finish his half watched episode of Law&

Order SVU from the night before. he even spent his free period in the library getting a head start on the book report that was due the next month. But nothing good can come of Mondays, and nothing good can come of perfect mornings.

"Spot! There you are," Davey rushed up to him, "come with me." His voice took on a frantic tone as he grabbed Spot's arm and pulled him along. 

"Dave what the hell is goin' on?"

"It's Race." 

That was the last thing he wanted to hear. He followed Davey to the theater where they found Race curled up in the corner of a dressing room. Jack and Crutchie were at his side trying to calm him. As soon as Spot entered the room they stood up. 

"He won't say what's wrong," Jack told him. 

Spot understood what was happening at once. A panic attack. He kneeled down in front of his boyfriend and took his hand, "baby what's wrong, are you hurt? Did someone do this to you? Do I need to soak 'em?" 

At that, Race burst into tears, burying his face in his knees and sobbing. The sound broke Spot's heart. Jack David and Crutchie excused themselves to give the two some time. 

Spot pulled Race to his chest and did his best to comfort him. "Hey, hey, it's ok, you're ok. I'm here, no one can hurt you." Spot held him tight and ran a gentle hand through his hair, all the while whispering sweet words of comfort in his boyfriend's ear. 

Once sobs had reduced to sniffs and hiccups, he decided it was time to test the water. 

"Tony, sweetheart, you ok?" 

Race nodded and moved to lean his back against Spot's chest, resting his head in the crook of Spot's neck. They sat in comfortable silence for a while, until Race mumbled something. 

"What was that?" 

"I-" he sniffed and turned around to bury his face in Spot's neck. "I don't want to lose you," he whispered, tightening his grip on the back of Spot's shirt. 

"Sweetheart, I'm never leaving you. Can you look at me?" 

Race shook his head. 

"Please?" 

Race lifted his head, albeit begrudgingly. His eyes were bloodshot from crying and his face was wet with tears. "I can't lose you," he whispered. 

Realization hit Spot like a tidal wave, and suddenly he felt sick. "This is about your parents, isn't it?" 

Race nodded, looking down. 

"God, I  _ hate _ them. Homophobic assholes. Can't they understand that you are who you are?" he asked, taking Race's head in his hands so he would look at him. "And who you are is my beautiful, wonderful, smart, amazing boyfriend." He punctuated each word with a kiss. 

"That's the problem. You're a _boy_ , you're my _boyfriend_ , they'll never understand." Tears were gathering in Race's eyes, and Spot wanted more than anything to march right down to the Higgins household and give them a piece of his mind. And his fist. 

Instead, Spot decided to reassure his boyfriend. "Maybe so, but I'm gonna love you no matter what." 

Race sniffed and wiped his eyes, "really?" 

"Hell yeah, why wouldn't I," Spot grinned. 

"I don't know, cause I'm-" 

"Cause you're a guy?" Race nodded in reply. "Sweetheart, I'm hella gay, you don't have to worry about that." 

This earned a laugh from Race, who rolled out of Spot's lap to lay face down on the floor. 

"Race," Spot poked his shoulder blade with two fingers. "Raaaaaaccceee, wanna skip class?" 

There was a muffled "no," in reply. 

"But babe," Spot whined, "You're in no shape to go to class.' 

"But babe," Race mocked, "I can't miss class." 

"Vetoed. We're skipping class." 

“To do what?" 

"Out for ice cream and then to the park. Because we are children." 

Race groaned and flopped over onto his back. "That's final, isn't it." 

"Yep," Spot leaned down and scooped his boyfriend up bridal style. 

Race let out an undignified squeak and tried to squirm out of his boyfriend's arms. "Put me down," he protested, but Spot just shook his head and carried him out the back door to his car. 

He shot a quick text to Davey, asking him to get his stuff from the library and get extra copies of all the assignments for Race, and then they were on their way. 

Their hands rested on the center console, fingers intertwined. It was nice, the domestic feeling that surrounded them as they rode in comfortable silence. They deserved that feeling. With all they had been through they sure as hell deserved every bit of this. 


	2. Ice Cream Solves All Problems

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please enjoy this fluff, it's adorable.  
> also, see if you can catch my Not So Discreet reference....

They got out at The Parlor, their favorite local ice cream shop, and walked in together. The bell on the door dinged and they were greeted by a familiar face.

"Hey guys, skipping class again," the cashier asked.

"Alex!" Race bounded over and hopped up to sit on the counter, "how's it goin' kiddo?"

Alex rolled their eyes, "I'm literally two years older than you  _ Antonio _ ." Alex's voice had a serious tone but the look in their eyes said they were joking. "The usual," Alex asked.

"Sure," Spot fished out his wallet and handed Alex ten dollars.

"One mint chocolate chip with rainbow sprinkles and one pride swirl with extra extra rainbow sprinkles."

When Alex was finished making the ice cream, they found the two making out against the counter. "Ew you two, get a room." Alex shoved the ice cream into Spot’s hands and gave Race the change, “you will  _ not _ defile my parlor. Now shoo, shoo.”

They walked hand in hand across the street to the park.

“Swings?”

“Swings.”

They are their ice cream in silence. Once again they were greeted by a domestic feeling in the air. Race piled up the sand with his feet and flattened it out again. Over and over. Again and again. Spot took this as a chance to study his boyfriend. He really was beautiful, thin an tall with the brightest blue eyes Spot had ever seen. He had a dancer's build with strong legs, and arms that could form graceful lines. That was another thing that his parents didn't agree with. 'Boys don't dance, Antonio,' they said. Spot couldn't stand his boyfriend's parents.

He watched Race move the sand around, forming little hills and valleys. Then he would stomp it all out until it was flat again, and start over. Build, stomp, repeat.

"You ok babe?"

Spot looked up, realizing that Race was addressing him.

“I’m good, just admiring the prettiest boy in the world, that’s all.”

Race blushed, “ah, I ain’t that great to look at,” he hung his head shyly.

Spot, who was done with his ice cream, stood up and walked over to his swing. “Well I say, you’re the prettiest boy in the whole world,” he declared, wrapping his arms around Race’s middle and laying his head on his shoulder.

Race leaned into the contact and let out a content little hum. He leaned his head backwards to look at his boyfriend.

“I love you,” he whispered.

Spot smiled, he would never get bored of hearing those three simple words from Race. It meant the world to him. “Love you too.”  They both had small smiles on their faces.

“So, what are our options?”

“Well, we could swing like kids. Or we could sit here and talk about the future ‘n shit.

Race shook his head, “no, I don’t like either of those.”

Spot grinned, “or we could hide in the slide and make out.”

“Hell yeah!”

Spot laughed as Race pulled him across the playground by his belt loops. They settled into the slide, laying on their sides. Spot tangled one hand in Race’s curls and let the other drift lazily under his shirt. Race shoved one hand into Spot’s back pocket and put the other firmly on his shoulder. He kissed his neck softly, in a teasing manner, before pulling back and smashing their lips together. They kissed for quite a while until-

BANG! CRASH! A LIGHTNING FLASH!

They startled apart.

“AAH,” Race yelled as he slid down and out the slide. A few seconds later he scrambled back up soaking wet. He braced himself so he wouldn’t slide down again.

Spot had an amused smile on his face, “I think it’s raining,” he stated bluntly.

“No shit Sherlock,” Race replied, clearly annoyed. “this isn’t funny.”

“No, not at all,” Spot failed to contain his laughter as Race was slowly sliding back down again. “Come on, let’s go back to my house.”

They slid down the slide and ran towards the parking lot. The rain felt nice. Not too cold, but not exactly warm either. It was, to put it in simple terms, right. It wasn't perfect, not by any means, for nothing ever really is perfect. Or maybe things are, because who are we to define what is and isn't perfect? But one thing is for sure and that is that things can be right. What they had, was right.

They claymored into Spot’s old beaten down car, and laughed for a solid five minutes.

Let’s talk a minute about Spot’s old beaten down car. A red Mazda RX7, with two seats a sunroof and a tiny trunk. It shook when being driven and was prone to overheat. Most of Spot’s friends hated that car. “It’s too small,” they said. “Just get a new one,” they said. But Spot steadfastly refused. He had spent three years fixing up that car. He saw it at a local junkyard when he was ten and immediately made it his clubhouse. Race’s grandfather owned the junkyard and that was how they met. The car was their meeting spot. Every day after school they sat there, joking and attempting to do homework. When he turned thirteen he started working on it. He spent a lot of time in that car. When he was twelve and his mother died, he spent an entire week living there. At thirteen when his foster sister got sick and his foster parents couldn’t keep him anymore, he refused to stay in the shelter until he got a home. Instead he spent his nights fixing up that car. When he was fifteen and got kicked out of yet another foster home, he lived there for almost a month. But the memories weren’t all rooted in tragedy. There had been many a carefree summer day spent working on his car while Race sat around supplying him with popsicles and crappy jokes. His first kid was in that car, not with Race, but with a nice girl named Gabi. That relationship hadn’t lasted long though, less than a week later Race kissed him in the exact same way he had kissed Gabi. That kiss served as a revelation. He quickly broke it off with Gabi, who was very happy for him. They were still good friends. The summer after tenth grade him and Race drove the car on an all summer long road trip up and down the east coast, living in the car and relying on truck stops for food and such.

That car was worth everything. It was right. Not perfect, but right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, comments or kudos double my lifespan!


	3. Special Victims Unit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the title is misleading  
> this is just extreme fluff of the family variety.

Race grabbed Spot’s hands, “want me to cook something?”

“Yes please. It’s two o’clock and we missed lunch, I’m dying.”

Race was already rummaging through the pantry. He turned and looked over his shoulder, “is mac & cheese okay with you?”

“Hell yeah babe, I love mac & cheese,” Spot answered from the living room. “Wanna watch a movie?”

“Sure, what are our options?”

A few minutes later, Spot popped back into the kitchen. “I have A League of Their Own, Night At The Museum and The Blind side.”

Race stirred the pasta and looked over at the movies, “SVU?”

“Good idea.”

Spot went back to the living room to get it set up. By the time Race was done Spot had an episode queued up and had formed a mountain of blankets on the couch. They settled in and shared one big bowl of mac & cheese, swapping jokes, theories and kisses. They were both obsessed with the show, Race because he loved a good crime drama, and Spot because he wanted to be a lawyer. They spent half the time yelling at the TV and the other half making out. It was nice. It was right.

Around five o’clock, Jack came home and Spot took Race home. They said stiff goodbyes for fear of being seen by Race’s dad, and parted ways.

When Spot got back, Medda was home from work. “Sean! There you are, go help your sister set the table.”

“Sure thing mama,” he replied, grabbing the utensils.

He went into the dining room and followed Smalls around, setting out the knives and forks.

“How was your day Spotty?” she asked, sitting out the last plate.

“Good I guess, how was yours?”

“Well, it  _ was _ good until  _ someone _ forgot to tell me they couldn’t take me home after school,” she ended the sentence with a pointed glare at her brother.

“Shit Soph, I’m sorry.”

“I had to catch a ride with Jack. He rides with Crutchie, who rides with Davey, who also takes Kath, Les and Sarah home!”

Spot winced, “Okay, what do I owe ya?”

“A cupcake. I want a pink lemonade cupcake from that cake shop on main street. We can go tomorrow after school.”

The way she said it made Spot sure it was a statement and not a question. “Ok Smalls, but then we’re even.”

She thought for a second before nodding, “yeah, then we’re even.”

Just then, Jack walked into the room, carrying two glass dishes. “Watch out, hot stuff comin’ through.”

“He means the pans,” Crutchie explained, following Jack with a basket of bread. Spot expertly dodged his brothers and set out the last of the utensils.

“Ooh Jack, it that lasagna,” Smalls asked, following them around the table.

“Sure is, mama’s famous lasagna.”

Smalls let out a woop and pumped her fist. Crutchie laughed and tapped her leg with his crutch. “Move it Sophia, I’ve got bread and I’m not afraid to use it.”

She moved out of the way, taking a roll from the basket in the process. Once the bread was on the table, Medda brought out the salad, and everyone was in their seats, they dug in. There wasn’t much talking, aside from the occasional “how was your day?”

When supper was over, Medda was off to see a show at her theater. “Be good kids, and don’t burn the house down,” she said as she left.

“Yes mama,” they all replied.

Jack disappeared upstairs, probably to go paint. Crutchie, Spot and Smalls settled onto the couch for the Criminal Minds marathon that was on. During commercials, Smalls ranted about the cute new girl in her intro to spanish class, and Crutchie spilled about his and David’s anniversary plans for the week after next.

Medda returned home around nine and made them turn off the television, sending them upstairs to wash up for bed.

Spot, who was exhausted after a long day fell immediately asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always, comments and kudos give me life!


	4. I Love Lucy And Her Cupcakes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter was alternately titled; Anita Is The Actual Devil

The next day dragged on without Race, who had to go along to translate at his grandfather’s doctor’s appointment. But eventually, the bell rang and he was free. Only, he wasn’t free.

“Heyyy Spotty!” Smalls bounded up to him and jumped on his back, “it’s cupcake time!”

“Jeez Smalls,” he reached up and stole her hat off her head, today it was the black one with the feathers. “Get in the car, you’ll get your cupcake.”

She hopped off his back, stealing her hat back and slipping into the passenger seat of the car. Soon enough they arrived at Lucille’s Cakes, AKA the cake shop on Main Street. Smalls bounded up to the door and Spot followed her.

“One pink lemonade cupcake and one red velvet please,” he said, stepping up to the counter. He smiled and passed the woman ten dollars.

After getting his change, he went outside and sat the cupcakes down on the picnic table that Smalls had sat down at. He sat across from his sister and peeled the paper off his cupcake. “So, how’s school goin’ Soph?”

“Good I guess,” she leaned forward and dipped her finger in the icing of Spot’s cupcake. “It’s more work than middle school but that’s ok I guess, I’ve gotten used to it. I want school to be over.”

“Hey, you’ve only got like two more months, it’ll be over soon.” He smiles and swatted her away as she dipped her finger in his icing again.

“Yeah right, two more months. Then summer and then three more _years_ Spot.” She rolled her eyes and finished her cupcake. They stood up and headed to the car. “Hey Spotty, did you notice her name was Anita?”

“Yeah, so?”

“This is Lucille’s Cakes.”

Spot laughed and stole her hat again, ruffling her hair and sticking the hat backwards on his own head.

He dropped Smalls off at their house before heading to go see Race. He pulled up and knocked on the door, tensing when Mr. Higgins opened it instead or Race or one of his sisters. “Hi Mr. Higgins, is Antonio home?”

The man looked him up and down. “What do you need.”

Spot took his backpack off and dug through it for a moment before pulling out a few papers. “I have the work he missed today and we got paired on a project for ELA so we need to work on that.”

“He’s upstairs in his room,” the man moved aside so Spot could come through the door.

He nodded once and headed upstairs. When he reached Race’s room, he saw him sitting on his bed with his youngest sister Maria, coloring in a Sophia The First coloring book. Spot smiled at how adorable it was. “Hey Maria, Hey ba-” there was an awkward pause as Spot remembered where he was. "Tony.”

Race beamed, “Hey Spot!” He stood up and picked Maria up off his bed and headed back out the door. “What’d I miss at school!”

“Not much,” Spot followed him as he took Maria downstairs. “Jack almost started a food fight at lunch.”

Race laughed, a sound that Spot loved. “Sounds accurate,” he commented, sitting Maria down on the counter and setting to work pulling a bunch of things out of the pantry.

”What are we making?” He asked, leaning back on the counter beside Maria.

”Cookies!” she exclaimed, clapping excitedly, and smacking Spot’s head in the process. She swung her feet for a moment, her princess dress swishing back. She tried to hop off the counter but Spot caught her.

”Not so fast kiddo, where ya going?”

”To get Liliana! And Bianca and Gia too!”

“Okay,” he sat her down, “go get your sisters.” He smiled as she ran off, sliding across the tiled floor in her socks.

Suddenly, Race grabbed his arm, yanked him into the closet, and shoved him against the wall. “That, was hot,” he whispered before diving in and kissing him hard. “You with kids,” he kissed him again, “that shouldn’t be hot. But it _is_ ” Race but down on his lip and then pulled away again, “it should be adorable. Cute, sweet, anything!” He bit down his neck to his collarbone, focusing there for a moment before looking back up and locking eyes with his boyfriend. “But god babe, it’s fuckin’ hot.”

Spot groaned taking charge, grabbing Race’s shoulders and flipping their positions. But before he could do anything, Race reaches over his head and grabbed a bag of chocolate chips off the shelf.

“Oh look, I found it,” he smirked and wriggled out of Spot’s grasp, leaving his boyfriend flustered and whining.

Spot made his way out of the pantry to see Race’s fourteen year old sister Giovanna interrogating him. “And you were in the pantry because,” she prompted, leaning on the wall and narrowing her unnaturally blue eyes. That was a feature she shared with her brother. They almost looked like twins, the same blonde hair and bright eyes. Except Gia was clearly younger.

“We were looking for the chocolate chips,” Race explained as he preheated the oven.

Before Gia could question him any further, Liliana, Bianca and Maria bounded into the room. Bianca had a book in her hand as always, and Maria was now carrying a stuffed otter. Liliana ran over to Spot and jumped at him.

“Spotty! We’re gonna make cookies,” she shouted as he picked her up. She reached for the chocolate chips on the counter but Spot carried her away, sitting her down at the kitchen table.

For the next few minutes, Spot corralled the kids while Race and Gia baked. He played I Spy and Hide and Seek with them until finally, the cookies were done at last.

“Race, Gia, these are amazing,” Spot remarked, savoring a chocolate chip cookie.

“Yeah!” Maria’s face and hands were covered in chocolate and crumbs.

“Maria!” They all laughed as she devoured another cookie.

“Okay Mar, that’s enough for you,” Gia said, pulling the plate away as her youngest sister reached for her fourth cookie.

Spot smiles as she pouted. “C’mere Mia,” he placed her on his lap, “let’s get you cleaned up.” He smiled to himself, knowing full well what he was doing. He saw Race’s eyes glaze over as he subtly licked his lips.

Race stood up quickly, “dad’s gone to work, right?”

“Yep,” Gia smirked.

“Okay,” Race tanked Spot up by his arm. “None of you come in my room. We’ll be doing... Very Important High School Stuff.

“Language arts,” Spot supplied.”

“Yes. Language arts. Very important,” Race said over his shoulder as he tugged Spot behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life!


	5. Movies & Cuddles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one is short and sweet

The instant they entered Race’s room they were connected at the lips. They stumbled backwards towards the bed but 

SMACK! 

Spot tripped over something in the floor, and they collapsed together. In an instant the former heat was gone. They laid there, Race giggling uncontrollably and Spot watching him, completely enamored. Their faces were inches apart and when Race finally stopped giggling like a schoolgirl, Spot smiled at him, brushing hair out of his face. 

Hey,” he whispered. 

Race leaned in and kissed him sweetly, pulling back sooner than Spot would have liked. “Wanna watch a movie?” 

Sure, what do you have,” Spot rolled over and grabbed Race’s laptop off his desk chair. 

“Well I have The LIttle Mermaid for Mar and all the Harry Potter movies for Bianca,” he paused and glanced under his bed. “And then there’s my collection.” 

Spot pulled a fairly large plastic container out from under Race’s bed. Inside was row upon row of neatly placed DVD’s. He saw Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, two seasons of the Doctor Who remake, Les Mis, RENT, Phantom of the Opera, all four seasons of BBC’s Sherlock, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, basically every Tim Burton and Studio Ghibli movie ever, Miss Congeniality and Cast Away to name a few. “Jeez Race, where did you steal these from?” 

“I bought them all, with my own money.” He replied, changing into sweatpants and a hoodie 

Spot smiled to himself and surveyed the titles, settling on one he hadn’t seen at first. He threw it at Race before crawling over to the bean bag chair in the corner. 

“Seriously? The Princess Bride?” Race laughed as he sat down in Spot’s lap, pulling a stool over to sit his laptop on. “We’ve seen it like a bajillion times, you can recite it.” 

Spot smirked and kissed his neck, “it’s your favorite movie and you know it.” 

Race neither confirmed nor denied this, instead swatting his boyfriend away and getting the movie set up. He threw a pillow at the lightswitch to turn out the lights before settling back against Spot’s chest. He began to mumble the words along with the DVD, and Spot smiled at just how cute he was. He carded his fingers through Race’s hair, leaning down to kiss the top of his head. 

“Inconceivable,” he whispered. 

Towards the end of the movie, Race shifted and his breathing evened out. By the time the credits rolled, he was fast asleep. Spot leaned forward, shutting off the laptop before scooping Race up. He subconsciously grabbed at Spot’s shirt, burying his face in the fabric. Spot laid him down on his bed, tucking the covers around him and brushing the curls out of his face to press a light kiss to his forehead. “Sweet dreams,” he turned to leave, but there was a hand reaching out and grabbing the back of his shirt. 

“Stay?” 

“Sweetheart, I can’t and you know that. What about your dad?” Spot wanted nothing more than to say yes. To curl up with his boyfriend and sleep forever. But he had to be the logical one because god knows RAce wasn’t a logical thinker. 

“I don’t care about my dad, just stay with me,” his eyes were filled with a mixture of loneliness and longing, tinted with a deep sadness. “Please?”

And with that, Spot’s resolve crumbled into nothingness. “Okay,” his voice was soft, “I’ll stay.” Race grinned, scooting over to make room on the bed while Spot discarded his jeans, grabbing one of Race’s hoodie’s from the drawer and pulling it over his head. He climbed into bed and instantly Race curled into him. He buried his face in Spot’s neck and slung a leg over his hips. 

“You’re like a damn koala,” Spot grumbled. 

“You know you love me.” 

Spot considered this for a moment, playing with his boyfriend’s hair. “Maybe I do, maybe I don’t,” he kissed his cheek. “Now go to sleep.” 

They both slept more peacefully than they had in years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heh heh get ready for the angst train that comes next  
> I love comments and kudos!


	6. shattered glass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A N G S T

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorrynotsorry
> 
> Important: trigger warning for a drunk father and homophobia and some abuse and getting outed and getting kicked out. Please do not read if any of this bothers you. There is a chapter summary in the end notes of the chapter. 
> 
> Love you guys

_ The clock reads 4:37 AM. The house is dead silent, aside from the ticking of a clock. It is still dark outside. The click of a door unlocking echoes throughout the space. A young girl, only nine years old, sits on the worn couch reading a book. The sound startles her and she looks up _

_ “Why are you still up,” her father slurs. _

_ “I couldn’t sleep.” Her voice is quiet and afraid. _

_ The man squints his eyes at her. “Get me a beer.” _

_ “No papa, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” _

_ “I said, get me a beer.” _

_ “No,” she stands her ground. _

****

A crash. And then a scream.

That’s what woke them up.

A crash and then a scream.

In an instant, they were up and out of bed.

“ANTONIO GET YOUR ASS IN HERE.”

Race paled upon hearing his father’s voice. He was out of the room in seconds. Spot yanked on the first pair of pants he found and raced out after him.

When he reached the living room, Liliana ran straight up to him. She buried her face in his stomach and held on tight. Bianca was on the ground, bleeding from several small cuts on her legs and surrounded by bits of broken glass. Giovanna stood in the center of the room ready to defend any one of her siblings at a moments notice. Maria was crouched behind the couch, hiding. Spot motioned her over and picked her up. She hid her face in his neck.

“I’m scared,” she whispered, her entire body trembled. He just held her tight.

“Antonio,” Mr. Higgins was talking through his teeth. “Why is  _ he _ here.”

Race opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again. Mr. Higgins grabbed his jaw and yanked his head up to look at him. “Answer me when I speak to you.”

When Race didn’t answer, he turned and looked around the room. His eyes settled on Spot, and realization flooded his features.

He was wearing Race’s clothes. He had spent the night. He knew exactly what this looked like, and it wasn’t good.

You’re screwing him, aren’t you.”

The silence said everything.

Mr. Higgins lurched forward. “You dirty little fag, get your hands off my daughter.” He grabbed Maria by her wrist and yanked her out of Spot’s grasp.

She shrieked and struggled to no avail. “Papa! Put me down!”

Spot stepped forward, “leave her alone, she didn’t do anything.”

Mr. Higgins was caught off guard and let Maria go. She ran directly to Spot and latched onto his leg. She buried her face in his side as her sister was doing. Mr. Higgins drew back his fist and swung at him.

“NO,” Race yelled, but it was too late. His father’s fist connected with Spot’s face and he stumbled backwards. Liliana shrieked and fell down, scrambling over to Giovanna who scooped her up. Spot shook his head, blood flowing freely from his nose.

Gia helped Bianca up off the ground, grabbing her hand and pulling her out the door behind her.

“Get back here!” Mr. Higgins stepped after them but his son blocked his way.

“Papa stop, you’re being irrational.”

He said something in quick flustered Italian, and Race’s face flooded with the worst look of hurt Spot had ever seen. Mr. Higgins grabbed Maria again, holding her up so her feet dangled off the ground. “Get out.”

“No papa, I’m not leaving without my sister.”

Spot took action, kicking Mr. Higgins in the back of his knees. He dropped Maria. Spot picked her up and ran out the door, grabbing Race’s hand as he fled.

“I DON’T WANT TO SEE ANY OF YOU KIDS EVER AGAIN, YOU UNDERSTAND?” He slammed the door, and all was silent once more.

The same thought ran through all six heads, 

_ What now? _

Spot led the way back to his house which was less than a mile away. He knocked on the door, which Medda opened less than a minute later. She opened her mouth to ask what had happened but quickly closed it again. “Come in, come in.” She whispered something to Bianca before leading her and Gia off to the bathroom. Spot sat Maria (who was almost asleep) down on the couch and told Liliana to stay with her. He then grabbed Race’s hand and pulled him back out the door. Out the door and down the street. A right, right again, a left and then another right. The community park.

Race sat down on the swings, silent tears streaming down his face. A few minutes later, he sobbed and sank to the ground. Spot rushed to kneel beside him, rubbing his back. “It’s okay, shh shh.”

Race jerked back, “No Spot, it’s not okay. This,” he gestured at the space between them, “is not okay.”

Spot felt his chest constrict, “W-what do you mean?”

“Listen to me Sean, this is not okay, and it never will be.”

“Tony, sweetheart-”

“NO,” Race shouted, tears streaming down his face. “This will never be normal, this will never be okay. I can’t do this anymore.”

He turned on his heel and left.

That night, Sean Conlon was left behind to pick up the broken pieces once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY PLEASE DONT KILL ME THERE IS A FOLLOW UP FIC IN THE MAKING...  
> it should be up soon
> 
> PLEASE yell at me in the comments, it makes my day... or come yell at me on tumblr @imjusttheoutgoingsidekick

**Author's Note:**

> Woof okay here's a summary of chapter 6
> 
> Basically, Race's dad comes home and finds out Spot spent the night and starts yelling but Spot protects Race and the girls and for the most part they all get out unharmed. Spot takes them to Medda's house, and it's the middle if the night but she's happy to help in any way.  
> Then Spot and Race go to the community park. Race starts crying and Spot, being the Good Boyfriend that he is, tries to comfort him. But Race, who is suffering from some slight internalized homophobia due to being kicked out, says something along the lines of "No Sean, this isn't okay, this isn't normal," and then storms off.  
> That night Sean Conlon was left behind once again to pick up the broken pieces.
> 
> Angsty, amiright?


End file.
